As businesses continue to transform to utilize more technology and rely on digital resources for performing tasks, it has brought an emphasis on technical skills across the job market. This means that non-technical roles now come with some technical requirements, whether using social media or building strategy on a project management platform.
Conversely, some technical roles now also require soft skills, like strategy experience and client-facing communications. Digitalization is taking over almost every industry, hence the need for flexible and adaptive employees with technical knowledge. Here is how to hire employees with hybrid skills effectively.
Have a Detailed List of Needs
To hire the best employee that fits the job opening, it’s important to identify who you are looking to hire. Start by creating a list of what exactly you need or expect from the role. The skills-first hiring is proven to be more efficient and yield better long-term results than traditional recruitment methods.
This is because it focuses on thorough assessment and measurement competencies, which the employee can and will use on the job.
Make a detailed list of the skills you want to see in your next employee. Include all the soft skills, requirements of the job, and what technical aspects it will entail. Provide sufficient information on the tools they may use or projects to which they’ll contribute. Put all of this in the job description, so there are no surprises when a candidate applies.
Weigh the Skill Options
Once you have all the necessary skills laid out, apply value to them. You could rank them from most to least important or classify them from absolute need to a ‘plus.’ The most important ones may include specific technical skills that a project, task, or position requires.
However, always note that the candidates’ soft skills will dictate how they will work with the team and the company in the long run. Therefore, it is equally significant and must be prioritized.
There is no such thing as a perfect candidate. So having the skills ranked will help you determine who fits more in the role you are trying to fill. You could even apply a quantitative value to each skill based on importance and then tally up how many points a candidate has based on their skills. This way, you can also be more objective and fair.
Be Specific in Interviews
Be upfront about what you expect from the role and avoid going around in circles when interviewing candidates. This will help you gather only the necessary information and not waste time. The more information you provide a candidate during the hiring phase, the better you will be able to determine who has the right hybrid skills for the job.
If you have specific technical skills, name the platforms you use and even consider providing examples of how you want things done. Moreover, pay attention and measure soft skills as well during interviews. Ask meaningful questions that allow candidates to express themselves and show their personality and attitude towards working with you and your company.
Be Willing to Adapt
If a candidate does not have the same experience you are seeking but is willing and able to learn quickly, consider giving them a shot. There are instances when a candidate’s soft skills can compensate for the technical skill gap, so do not disregard those lacking the degree or solid background too quickly.
See if the technical knowledge you require can be attained through training. If so, consider giving a chance to job seekers who have strong, soft skills but lack technical experience. Moreover, if someone has a fantastic hybrid skill set but does not fit the role exactly, maybe the role could change to fit the candidate’s skills.
If you struggle to find someone to fit a certain skill needed for the job, consider bringing in a freelancer or adding a task to someone else’s job description with the skill. For example, if you are looking for a user interface or web developer, consider hiring freelance angular developers so long as they have the hybrid skills you seek.
Win the Hiring Game
Today’s competitive and digitized business world calls for multi-faceted employees with the right combination of technical skills and interpersonal attributes. Up your hiring practices to not miss out on the best candidates with hybrid competencies. Look beyond the superficial and effectively measure all skills — technical and soft. This way, you can better determine if they can do the job and, at the same time, work in harmony with the team and company.
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